AP adds new social media guidelines on live-tweeting, friending/following sources

The Associated Press updated its staff social media guidelines today with a new section on live-tweeting news and an updated section on how to connect with newsmakers on social media.

Journalists are instructed that live-tweeting public news events is fine, but their “first obligation is to provide full details to the appropriate news desk,” and they should not share “exclusive material” before giving the wire a chance to publish it first.

The AP says it’s OK to build social media ties with politicians, newsmakers and sources, but that staffers should “make this kind of contact with figures on both sides of controversial issues.” It also tells staffers to “avoid interacting with newsmakers on their public pages — for instance, commenting on their posts.”